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joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam
The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.
Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.
Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!
Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.
Click here to report a problem with this page.
Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:
- An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
- This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "dearest one," (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "might come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "million dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- tairatkones@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Tairat k. kones" <tairatk1@aol.fr>
Reply-To: tairatkones@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 29 May 2014 09:48:38 +0100
Subject: I need you to stand for me as TRUSTEE
Dearest one,
How are you today? Hope all is well with you and yours? if so glory be to
God almighty.
My mail might come to you as a surprise, not to worry i come in peace.I am
Miss Tairat Kones from Kenya i am 24 years old. I have an urgent need for a
trustee to receive my inheritance fund on my behalf . I will like for you
to stand for me as trustee to help me receive the sum of $9.4 million
dollars been my inheritance fund from my late father.
This is legal and 100% risk free. I intend to share part of this fund with
you and you can help me invest my share of it.
Let me know if you are in position to help me receive this funds. once i
get your positive response i will furnish you with all you need to know of
my proposal and some photo image of me.
Kindly reply to my mail via my private for confidential reasons :
tairatkones@gmail.com
Thanks in anticipation.
Yours Sincerely,
Tairat kones.
I need you to stand for me as TRUSTEE
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Anti-fraud resources: